(#396) Circle the Wagons?

Rather than circling the wagons,
maybe we should let the horses run.

NOTE to my followers. This will be my last post for 2017. Next week in this space you will find my annual end-of-year retrospective. Thank you for following, commenting, and sharing my posts. I appreciate you. May you end your year creating, sharing, and savoring wonderful moments for yourself and those you love. See you in 2018.

Once again, the teacher receives a lesson from the student.

Last week a former student of mine had the harrowing experience of being with a man when he died. The situation was a triathlon. The man was a participant and collapsed as he neared shore at the end of the swim portion of the event. Adam, my student and friend, happened to be nearby. He helped with CPR. To no avail.

As Adam said, “Death is the ultimate reality check….. he went out in a blaze of glory as a relatively healthy guy having fun on a beautiful Sunday morning instead of dying slowly and ‘safely’ on his couch or in a bed at home.”

Nothing can erase the shock, the sense of loss, or the anguish involved for that man’s family, the first-responders, and people like Adam. And, most of what we say in such situations, while from the heart, can come off as trite and cliché. Adam’s words, though, provide a reminder.

We can easily end up “circling the wagons” rather than enjoying and growing from what life has to offer. When we circle those wagons, we end up restricting our environment and experiences. We move into a defensive position for a presumptive attack. We limit our sites. And we wait—and possibly waste.

As one writer noted, circling the wagons also created another problem: Manure. With wagons circled and the animals contained within, by morning the pioneers were deep in doo-doo.

Rather than circling the wagons, maybe we should let the horses run. Those “horses” represent your dreams, desires, and destiny. As you look to the New Year and new possibilities, will you circle the wagons or let the horses run?

Video recommendation for the week:

Playing it safe? Hmm.

Make it an inspiring week and H.T.R.B. as needed.

For information about and to order my book, Stories About Teaching, Learning, and Resilience: No Need to be an Island, click here. A number of colleges and one state-wide agency have adopted it for training and coaching purposes. Contact me if you and your team are interested in doing the same.

My podcasts: The Growth and Resilience Network™ (http://stevepiscitelli.com/media-broadcast/podcast).

My programs and webinars: website (http://stevepiscitelli.com/programs/what-i-do) and (http://stevepiscitelli.com/programs/webinars).

Pearson Education publishes my student textbooks for life success—Choices for College Success (3^rd edition) and Study Skills: Do I Really Need This Stuff? (3^rd edition).